Larry Flynt guilty of criminal acts

Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 1999

By Gordon Warren Epperly

As we move through the impeachment proceedings, I see a lot of misinformation. For one, this trial has nothing to do with sexual misconduct of the president. The question before Congress is whether the president obstructed the proceedings of a court of law, and did the president give false testimony before a grand jury.

On Jan. 13, the Juneau Empire published a story regarding sex publisher Larry Flynt fingering Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia and other members of Congress for sexual misconduct. Under normal conditions, Mr. Flynt's exposure of officials holding high government positions in the U.S. government of sexual misconduct would be commended, especially if his expose is not selective. Sexual misconduct in offices of high places of our government is classified as high crime, under the Constitution of the United States of America.

Larry Flynt's timing must be questioned as an impeachment proceeding before Congress is not classified as an ordinary proceeding, it is extraordinary in nature. The members of the House sit and vote as if they were jurors in a grand jury proceeding, while members of the Senate sit and vote as if they were jurors in a criminal proceeding.

For Larry Flynt to post a reward to obtain information that may influence the outcome of an impeachment proceeding appears to be a criminal act. To use this information for the purpose of intimidating any member of Congress for the casting of votes for or against impeachment is to commit a crime of obstruction of justice (18, USC 1503) influencing a juror, (18, USC 1505) obstructing proceedings, (18, USC, 1510) obstructing criminal investigation, (18 USC 1512b) tampering with witness, and for the press, wither it is via television or newspapers, to give aide to Mr. Flynt's apparent criminal activity by encouraging such conduct in their reporting may be a criminal act on their part, (18 USC 3) accessory after fact, and (18 USC 4) misprision of felony.

It may be argued that an impeachment proceeding is not a criminal proceeding, but this is not quite true. If the U.S. Senate finds the president of the United States to be guilty of the crimes as charged by the U.S. House, the evidence used in the impeachment proceedings may be used in a criminal proceeding against the president after the president leaves office.

I can only wonder why the U.S. Justice Department has allowed Mr. Flynt to continue with his apparent criminal activity.